The present invention relates generally to disposable electrodes, and more particularly to an improved skin contact electrode assembly for detecting cardiac and other low level electrical signals generated within the human body.
Skin contact electrodes find extensive use for detecting and transforming potentials generated within the body into electrical signals which may be monitored for a variety of functions, such as the preparation of electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms. In recent years, with the advent of portable and more sophisticated EKG and other types of biomedical monitoring equipment, disposable electrode assemblies, wherein a metallic electrode and an electrolyte gel, together with an adhesive for holding the electrode in position, are combined in a unitary assembly for one-time use, have come into wide use. Not only do these assemblies avoid the time-consuming processes of applying gel and strapping the electrode in position, but they also avoid the necessity of cleaning the electrode after each use.
One disposable electrode assembly which has provided particularly good results is that claimed and described in the copending applications of Gregor Dean Long, Ser. No. 512,589, filed Oct. 7, 1974; William Garrettson Ellis et al, Ser. No. 670,403, filed Mar. 25, 1976, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 512,588, filed Oct. 7, 1974, now abandoned; William Garrettson Ellis, Ser. No. 670,404, filed Mar. 25, 1976, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 512,586, filed Oct. 7, 1974, now abandoned; and Charles W. Daugherty et al, Ser. No. 694,055, filed June 7, 1976, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 512,587, filed Oct. 7, 1974, now abandoned, all of which are assigned to the present assignee. This electrode assembly includes a relatively thin base member having a central hub portion and an adhesive-coated undersurface, a conductive gel-impregnated sponge contact contained in a downwardly facing recess located in the hub, and a relatively thick and inflexible cover member coextensive with the base member. In storage the cover member is attached to the undersurface of the base member by the adhesive and the sponge is confined within the recess. Prior to use the base member is peeled away from the cover member to expose the adhesive surface, which when applied to a skin surface holds the sponge contact in compression-contact therewith. The present application is directed to an improvement in the electrode assembly wherein the cover member is provided with a roughened surface for use in preparing the skin surface to which the base member is to be applied.